Pale, then enkindled, br light br advancing, br emblazoning br summits of palm and pine, br br the dew br lingering, br scripture of br scintillas. br br Soon the roar br of mowers br cropping the already short br grass of lawns, br br men with long-nozzled br cylinders of pesticide br poking at weeds, br at moss in cracks of cement, br br and louder roar br of helicopters off to spray br vineyards where braceros try br to hold their breath, br br and in the distance, bulldozers, excavators, br babel of destructive construction. br br Banded by deep br oakshadow, airy br shadow of eucalyptus, br br miner's lettuce, br tender, untasted, br and other grass, unmown, br luxuriant, br no green more brilliant. br br Fragile paradise. br br . . . . br br At day's end the whole sky, br vast, unstinting, flooded with transparent br mauve, br tint of wisteria, br cloudless br over the malls, the industrial parks, br the homes with the lights going on, br the homeless arranging their bundles. br br . . . . br br Who can utter br the poignance of all that is constantly br threatened, invaded, expended br br and constantly br nevertheless br persists in beauty, br br tranquil as this young moon br just risen and slowly br drinking light br from the vanished sun.